The 2026 State Park Index scored 150 U.S. state parks on both their value for travelers and their sheer allure — and Minnesota came out looking very good. Four Minnesota state parks landed inside the national top 40, one of the strongest showings of any state. The state’s parks scored especially high for visitor satisfaction, with all four earning top marks from the people who actually walked the trails. The Four Minnesota Parks That Made The CutHere are the four parks that earned Minnesota a spot among the nation’s best, ranked highest to lowest:Itasca State Park (No. 8) — Minnesota’s oldest state park, established in 1891, sprawls across more than 32,000 acres and 100-plus lakes near Park Rapids.